I would like to dedicate this blog to my good friend, leader and the man who I attribute my ribbon dancing anointing from, Mr. Michael James Sanders…
I am a ribbon dancer! (Before you judge, hear me out!)
Yes, I am a man!
I would be lying if I said that I did not enjoy:
- Step Up (the trilogy, yes even 3d)
- The dance styling of Michael Jackson (don’t lie to yourself, I know you have watched yourself do a little kick and moonwalk in the mirror to most likely no avail!)
- Dance Parties
- Acting a fool
- Lord of the Dance (come on Michael Flatley fans, we all have a little Irish in us when we watch that!)
I will never forget the word given to me under a full moon one night in Honduras eight months ago.
Mike looked at me and said, “Thomas, young one, you are a ribbon dancer! You were created to be undignified and to flow as that ribbon follows your every swift movement.” (maybe a little exaggerated, but close!)
Going against everything I was ever told in school, I am now going to quote Wikipedia:
“Compulsory elements for the ribbon include flicks, circles, snakes and spirals, and throws. It requires a high degree of co-ordination to form the spirals and circles as any knots that may accidentally form in the ribbon are penalized and any elements done while there is still a knot in the ribbon acquiring additional deductions. During a ribbon routine, large, smooth and flowing movements are looked for.”
Yes, this is RIDICULOUS! But I want you to know why I am writing this.
My life is ridiculous, the other night I found myself running around in circles on the side of a hill with no electricity under a dome of stars praying and pretty much yelling at Kay that she is a crazy princess for the Kingdom! Normal? Probably not, but it’s the rhythm that I have caught onto. Our life has a rhythm to it and it also has a ribbon that follows closely behind our actions. I jump around in front of kids like a fool because it brings smiles to their faces and contagious laughs out of their lungs.
Galations 5:25 tells us, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Have you ever thought about what that means?
I like to think of the Flash (the superhero), every time he runs you see a blur behind him. Every step that I take, I leave behind me a trace (a little piece of the ribbon). Sometimes a good trace (graceful), sometimes maybe not exactly as I would hope for (getting tangled up in knots). We are called to be co-ordinated with the Spirit.
Walking in the Spirit is similar to learning how to walk all over again. You start off small, baby steps. But once you find your groove you start moving in a completely new way. For me, that is gracefully jumping around with a ribbon making a complete full out of myself. I have found that when I put myself in the most vulnerable position with the Spirit, I am glorifying God the most with my actions. If that means with a ribbon, laying on my face or yelling at the top of my lungs then by God I am going to do it.
Psalm 103:1: “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”
Somebody told me a few weeks back that they don’t just hope that they put on the Spirit everyday, but rather that the Spirit puts them on everyday! It has become a prayer that I pray every morning. I want to operate out of friendship, not obedience (you should read “The Supernatural Ways of Royalty” for a little more insight).
I will continue to act a fool for the Lord, because that has become my identity with the Spirit! The pastor we have had the opportunity to work with this week says that we should be suicide bombers against satan, not literally but that everywhere we go there should be an explosion in the Spirit!
Come on Somebody!
Let us be reckless!
Find yourself uncontrollably laughing because the devil is dumb.
I am a ribbon dancer, still finding all my moves (I would not call myself the best dancer.) But it’s my identity!
Who are you?
I believe we all have inheritance verses (verses that define who God calls us to be).
Here is an insight to a couple that God has written into my heart and spirit:
2 Samuel 6:14
“Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might”
2 Samuel 6:22
“I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.”
All you have to do is be yourself!
I pray for a Spirit encounter in your life.
Also you can join us in praying that the Spirit at 2pm Eastern Time rocks Noe Rivera every day! Funnels are barreling down No Cash!
The Spirit is moving! Dig it, Dig it, Dig it! (For you Justin Plumlee)
